News

FC Dallas announces 2012 broadcast schedule

February 9, 20121:45PM CST

FCD Press Services

FRISCO, Texas (Thursday, Feb. 9, 2012) – FC Dallas released its complete 2012 broadcast schedule today, including 21 games airing on FOX channels, six on TXA21 and seven on national TV, including NBC Sports Network, ESPN and ESPN2. Four of the FOX games will also simultaneously air nationally on Galavision.

Play-by-play duties will be split between Mark Followill and Jonathan Yardley, while a team of color analysts will share duties, including Brian Dunseth, Dante Washington, Ian Joy and Steve Jolley. Each of the color analysts will make appearances on FC Dallas broadcasts throughout the season.

FC Dallas elected to field the team of broadcasters following the untimely death of long-time FC Dallas player and broadcaster Bobby Rhine last summer. Broadcasters around the league who loved and respected Rhine served as guest broadcasters following his death to finish the 2011 season.

“It’s impossible to replace Bobby Rhine,” said FC Dallas President and CEO Doug Quinn. “Rather than make one person try to fill his shoes, we put together a team of people Bobby knew and respected. His spirit, his love of the game, should live on in FC Dallas broadcasts. We think this team will do exactly that.”

While most fans today recognize Followill as the television play-by-play personality for the Dallas Mavericks, the North Texas alum has long-term ties to FC Dallas, serving as the Dallas Burn public address announcer back during the club’s Cotton Bowl days.

Before joining the Mavericks’ telecast, Followill served as the team’s radio play-by-play voice on ESPN 103.3 FM for four seasons. He has been a play-by-play announcer for NFL games on the Sports USA Radio Network, college basketball on the Mountain West Sports Network, regional college football broadcasts on FSN Southwest and TXA21, and NBA and WNBA broadcasts for ESPNRadio.

Followill also has done play-by-play for both University of Texas basketball and volleyball on the Longhorn Network.

FC Dallas fans are certainly familiar with Dunseth, both as an analyst and as a player. The California native played 10 seasons in Major League Soccer, including one with the Dallas Burn. Since hanging up his boots in 2006, Dunseth has handled play-by-play, color and sideline reporting for FOX Soccer.

Yet another familiar face, Yardley teamed with Rhine during the 2011 preseason tournament on streaming broadcasts of the Walt Disney World Pro Soccer Classic from Orlando, Fla. He spent the last three seasons as the radio voice of the Houston Dynamo and will once again handle play-by-play duties on the live stream of WDW Pro Soccer Classic games later this month.

Washington played 10 seasons in Major League Soccer, including four with the Dallas Burn. Rhine and Washington were teammates in Dallas during Rhine’s rookie season, but the following year, Washington was traded to the Columbus Crew.

Born in California and raised in Scotland, Joy retired from playing professional soccer in 2010 following 14 years in various leagues, including three seasons with Major League Soccer. He spent his youth career with Manchester United and Tranmere Rovers where he turned pro before a successful time in Germany where he played for Hamburg SV and his beloved FC St Pauli. His final year as a professional was spent as captain of the Portland Timbers before the club transitioned to MLS.

FC Dallas hosts the New York Red Bulls on NBC Sports Network at 2 p.m., CT, Sunday, March 11, during MLS First Kick presented by Dick’s Sporting Goods. The match, featuring two of the league’s hottest stars in Brek Shea and Thierry Henry, will mark the first MLS game broadcast as part of the new, three-year partnership between MLS and NBC. Tickets start at $15 and are available now through ticketmaster.com, FCDallas.com, or by calling FC Dallas at 888.FCD.GOAL (323.4625).